It is a trend for 3C products (i.e., computer, communication, and consumer electronics) to be smaller and lighter. In a portable electronic device, different circuit boards would have to be electrically connected with each other, and since the size of the electronic device is quite small, the interior space of the electronic device is small, too. Therefore, board to board connectors (BTB connectors) are adapted to electrically connect between circuit boards to achieve a better usage rate of space.
The BTB connector is a connector assembly. Generally, the connector assembly includes an electrical plug connector and an electrical receptacle connector adapted to be mated with the electrical plug connector. A plurality of male terminals is arranged on the electrical plug connector, and a plurality of female terminals is arranged on the electrical receptacle connector. When the electrical plug connector is inserted into the electrical receptacle connector, the male terminals are mated with the female terminals for the signal connection between two printed circuit boards.
The female terminal of an existing electrical receptacle connector includes a main arm, a pair of clamping arms, and a soldering leg. The clamping arms are extended from one of two ends of the main arm and aligned parallel with each other. The soldering leg is extended from the other end of the main arm. Commonly, the clamping arms and the main arm define a U-shaped structure; in other words, the clamping arms are devoid of supporting structures. It is noticed that, because the clamping arms are devoid of supporting structures, when the clamping arms of the female terminals are in contact with the male terminals, the clamping arms would be deformed or broken easily once the inserting force applied to the electrical receptacle connector is too large or once the tolerance between the male terminals is too large.